tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255284583537167032.post8519451509181287313..comments2023-04-17T07:17:39.692-04:00Comments on Social Media for Professional Writers: Have it Your Way: Burger King's Provocative Social Media CampaignUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255284583537167032.post-82457050308645629242010-03-14T18:20:19.870-04:002010-03-14T18:20:19.870-04:00I'm not sure the exact date when it happened -...I'm not sure the exact date when it happened - but I am guessing it has been within the last ten years – that Burger King started infusing their marketing with this quirky sensibility. It has certainly been effective because it has not only helped sell Whoppers but this unique brand of insanity has worked itself into their menu.<br /><br />For instance, if you go to McDonald's or Wendy's or Chick-Fil-A and order chicken nuggets, you get something, well...nugget-shaped. At Burger King, the chicken parts are shaped like little crowns.<br /><br />Within the last two months, I visited a Burger King in North Carolina and ordered something called “Funnel Cake Sticks.” Fried dough, shaped like French Fries, covered in powder sugar, with a side of gooey dippin' sugar! I'm pretty sure you can't get those at McDonald's.<br /><br />One of my absolute favorite Burger King marketing schemes happened back in 2006. That autumn, Microsoft released the Xbox 360. To accompany the console's release, Burger King offered three different 360 games for $3.99 a piece.<br /><br />The first was called “Sneak King” where the player controlled the King. He would walk around town, stealthily, sneaking up behind people and present them with BK food. The closer you got to the person, the more points you would get. If you didn't reach the people in time, they would pass out from hunger. If you've never seen this, check out this YouTube video, it's insane. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTMNE6gk7bM&feature=related<br /><br />The second was called “Pocketbike Racer.” It was essentially Mario Kart on tiny motorcycles. Of course, instead of playing with Mario and Donkey Kong, players controlled their favorite BK characters including Brooke Burke, the Subserviant Chicken, and a man dressed up as a giant Whopper.<br /><br />The third was called “Big Bumpin'.” The game pitted players against each other in bumper cars. You could bump people into fire pits, wreck their cars with saws and knock them completely off the screen.<br /><br />What's important with the last two – particularly in the social media realm – was that it allowed players to play against each other through Xbox Live as well as earn achievements that could be incorporated into a player's profile or blog. <br /><br />This, of course, brings up a whole new question of how video games fit into the realm of social media... I'll save that for another day.Wardlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059930368672931627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255284583537167032.post-20055826185999143542010-03-12T16:55:41.149-05:002010-03-12T16:55:41.149-05:00I think that Burger King's social media campai...I think that Burger King's social media campaign is both refreshing and innovative. I personally like the Whopper Sacrifice; I have a ton of "friends" on Facebook that I never contact. I would have gladly sacrificed a few of those friends for a Whopper. I guess it depends how large a role you stomach plays in your decision.<br /><br />Though I like the analysis that asserts the campaign is about empowerment. However, I wonder how much power the Whopper Virgin actually gives their consumer. In fact, I think that this ad could be easily interpreted as an apathetic view toward world hunger. In my mind, it is in bad taste. However, the other aspects of the campaign are sound and I will definitely seek out that chicken.Whitney Wilkiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12866884949875568120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255284583537167032.post-56276917261364634672010-02-24T11:27:26.174-05:002010-02-24T11:27:26.174-05:00I thought this was a great post, although this is ...I thought this was a great post, although this is the first I have heard of the company's social media efforts. I guess none of my Facebook friends are Burger King fans. <br /><br />I was particularly interested in the Whopper Sacrifice, and Facebook's subsequent yanking of the application when the friend count started heading south. I would have liked to have overheard the phone conversation between the Facebook executive and the Burger King executive on that one!<br /><br />What it boils down to for me is this. Burger King can do anything they want to as long as they don't show that creepy plastic Burger King character any more. You know the one I'm talking about: the actual burger king. As long as he stays retired, I'm good with the rest of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255284583537167032.post-75718828210635663212010-02-12T13:02:18.586-05:002010-02-12T13:02:18.586-05:00I used to be on Facebook 24/7 and I never came acr...I used to be on Facebook 24/7 and I never came across Burger King’s “Whopper Sacrifice.” Then again I'm not a big fan of Burger King. Now, if Chick-fil-A offered this deal then, yes, I probably would have taken it into consideration. After all, Chick-fil-A isn’t cheap. <br /><br />Burger King is pretty creative when it comes to advertising and promoting their sandwiches. Do I find anything wrong with the “Whopper Sacrifice”? No, not really. They’re just another fast food chain trying to get ahead of the game. I actually applaud them for thinking outside of the box. <br /><br />I wonder how many Facebook users sent friend requests to those they deleted for the coupon.Lylahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08461758417234358333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255284583537167032.post-58325112085386104542010-02-12T12:00:28.889-05:002010-02-12T12:00:28.889-05:00This is a great roundup of BK social media efforts...This is a great roundup of BK social media efforts. I had no idea they were so "with it." (And who knew BK originated in Miami?) <br /><br />I hope anthropologists take a closer look at the Whopper Virgin promotion. it seems like there would be some interesting knowledge to glean there. And I wonder how this marketing stunt impacted indigenous groups of people? Possibly more than BK took into account.Jennifer Escalonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13043112673576496290noreply@blogger.com